FAQ

I have an old redwood tree that is over 100' tall. I was going to put a planter at the base of the tree. My neighbor told me that if I put the planter at the base of this tree I will probably kill it. The planter was going to be three blocks high and I was going to put dirt from the blocks to the trunk of the tree. Is my neighbor right?

Your neighbor is correct. Adding fill soil to the base of trees can result in decay/disease in the basal portion of the plant that can result in decline, death, or even windthrow. Redwood trees are more tolerant of soil fills and more disease resistant than most species. Nevertheless, we don't advocate soil fills on any woody plant because of potential health and structural impacts.